I Am Empowerhttp://iamempower.com
Uplifting Society, Empowering Minds, & Provoking PurposeThu, 20 Dec 2018 02:00:31 +0000en-UShourly1http://iamempower.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/cropped-2_Empower_banner_31.5x85-32x32.jpgI Am Empowerhttp://iamempower.com
3232Willie Moore Jr: The Renaissance Radio Hosthttp://iamempower.com/willie-moore-jr-the-renaissance-radio-host/
Thu, 20 Dec 2018 01:43:50 +0000http://iamempower.com/?p=70287By: Autumnn Douglas It’s 5:30 p.m. in Atlanta, otherwise known as the height of rush hour. You’re stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on I-285, have already called ahead to let the family know you’ll be late for dinner, and are doing your best to maintain your composure and not pull your hair out. All in all, your plans for a smooth post-work evening seem shot. That is, until you’re perusingthe radio stations (because what else is there to do for the next hour and a half), and are met with the familiar, uplifting jingle—“Just in case you didn’t know, Willie Moore Jr’s on your radio” Willie Moore Junior of Atlanta’s Praise 102.5 radio has been empowering the community and “keeping it 100” with listeners nationwide for years now. And with over 1.3 million people tuning in to his broadcasts every week his impact is undeniable. He prides himself on his show combining motivational music and passion to create flat out inspirational radio. However, these broadcasts are not the only thing Moore has his hands in. In fact he is also an accomplished recording artist, producer, actor, and author. And he repeatedly sites God and his Christian values as the guiding... Read more »

It’s 5:30 p.m. in Atlanta, otherwise known as the height of rush hour. You’re stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on I-285, have already called ahead to let the family know you’ll be late for dinner, and are doing your best to maintain your composure and not pull your hair out. All in all, your plans for a smooth post-work evening seem shot. That is, until you’re perusingthe radio stations (because what else is there to do for the next hour and a half), and are met with the familiar, uplifting jingle—“Just in case you didn’t know, Willie Moore Jr’s on your radio”

Willie Moore Junior of Atlanta’s Praise 102.5 radio has been empowering the community and “keeping it 100” with listeners nationwide for years now. And with over 1.3 million people tuning in to his broadcasts every week his impact is undeniable. He prides himself on his show combining motivational music and passion to create flat out inspirational radio. However, these broadcasts are not the only thing Moore has his hands in. In fact he is also an accomplished recording artist, producer, actor, and author. And he repeatedly sites God and his Christian values as the guiding light in all of his endeavors.

Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri Moore found that he always possessed a certain passion for music and would eventually become known for his talents. At just 12 years old he signed his first record deal with Midwest recording label and later on went on to sign with Universal Music Group. His involvement with Christian hip-hop however, came with the release of his studio album The Turning Point. It was during this time that he developed a relationship with God that he describes as “purely authentic” and began preaching his message to the masses. In fact, he recalls inviting others to join him on his journey toward forging a revitalized relationship with the Lord and people meeting him in the middle of club events to become a part of this movement. He went on to release The Best of Both Worlds album with Christian rap artist Bizzle. The album peaked at #42 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart and #27 on the Top Gospel Albums chart.

Beyond his music, Moore is also a motivational speaker and the visionary behind the Young, Fly, and Saved movement. He recalls that through prayer and fasting God helped him conceive the idea. Young, Fly, and Saved was created to ultimately help bridge the gap between the streets and church, as well as highlight to youth the benefits of creating a lasting relationship with God. Being someone that’s been connected to both worlds, Moore prides himself on the fact that he “doesn’t have to pretend to be bigger or smaller than what he is”. His ability to motivate and connect with people is something that he refers to as a “calling”, and he carries the responsibilitywith grace and humility.

With vision, handwork, and guidance from God, Moore has been able to extend his reach across a number of platforms including one of the world’s largest online streaming sites, YouTube. Flatout-TV, Moore’s self produced, episodic series covers a range of topics including relationships, the industry, and overcoming life’s obstacles. It also boasts a number of celebrity guests including the likes of Kel Mitchell, Tiffany Evans, and Canton Jones. And with over 70,000 subscribers, and 347 million combined viewers, Moore’s channel is shaping up to be yet another powerful platform he utilizes in spreading positivity and empowerment.

It doesn’t stop with Youtube though. In fact, he plans on owning “the biggest faith based television and film production company” and hopes to “build films that really speak to the culture”. His ultimate goal is to broadcast the faith-based community in a new light, and starting in 2019 audiences will get a little taste of this with a project he calls “The Process”.

Along with his devotion to the community Moore is also a dedicated father and husband. He challenges himself to live by the motto “God, Family, Business”, allowing him to establish order and find a “better balance” in all aspects of his life. Balance is incredibly important to the Moores right now, as they just welcomed a brand new baby girl, Paisley Rae, to their family.This family’s happiness didn’t come without some hardship however. In his newly published book Happily After All, he details the journey he and his wife made“going through hell and high water to get to where they are today”. Originally when God led him to write a book about relationships Moore was skeptical considering the trials and tribulations they had gone through.

However, it was that exact reason that the book was ultimately published. He tells us that he wanted the book to tell “transparent stories about some of the things he and his wife went through in their first thirteen years of marriage that many young couples might quit over including financial instability, foreclosure, and infidelity” The overarching vision for HappilyAfter All is to inspire more young couples to push through the hardships of marriage and grow together.

He also cites wanting to provide more happy homes for children in foster care as one of his main reasons for penning the novel, with adoption being an issue very close to his heart. Being the son of two loving adoptive parents himself, he rallies for adoption efforts and uses his “WILFLOFoundation” to raise awareness about adoption and foster care. He stated in 2017 that he wanted adopted children to wear it as a “badge of honor” and understand that “success was upon them early because of what they had to endure at an early age”.

Willie Moore Jr. continues to inspire the community through the gospel with transparency and enthusiasm. His multiple philanthropic efforts coupled with the positivity he exudes show that he not only talks the talk, but walks the walk. Moore is very aware that he occupies a unique spacein the industry, and is not shy when it comes to discussing his journey to become the man he is today. He sympathizes with those of us that have not always been on the straight and narrow, saying that “everyone has a past but we don’t have to be prisoner to it”. This genuine honesty sets him apart as one of the most influential motivational voices to date, and makes him relatable to audiences everywhere.

]]>Syleena Johnson: Rebirth of Soulhttp://iamempower.com/syleena-johnson-rebirth-of-soul/
Thu, 20 Dec 2018 01:16:52 +0000http://iamempower.com/?p=70279The Life of A Songbird By: Autumnn Douglas R&B superstar Syleena Johnson is no stranger when it comes to making seriously soulful music. From her unique upbringing as the daughter of Chicago’s own Syl Johnson, to her collaborations with some of this generation’s biggest artists including Kanye West and Busta Rhymes, her voice is recognized and celebrated by audiences all over. These days Johnson has expanded her empire beyond just music, and has added talk show host, author, and actress to her resume. Luckily, she agreed to take some time out of her busy schedule to tell us a bit about this generation of music, what empowerment means to her, and what we can expect to see from her in the not so distant future. It’s no secret that Johnson takes inspiration from the soulful sounds and mesmerizing melodies of artists from the 1950’s and 60’s, so much so that her Rebirth of Soul album pays homage to the great artists of that era. “Soul is not a genre, soul is not a sound of music” says Johnson. “Soul is what you’ve been through, so we did was chose artists who sang from what they’ve been through” When it comes... Read more »

The Life of A Songbird

By: Autumnn Douglas

R&B superstar Syleena Johnson is no stranger when it comes to making seriously soulful music. From her unique upbringing as the daughter of Chicago’s own Syl Johnson, to her collaborations with some of this generation’s biggest artists including Kanye West and Busta Rhymes, her voice is recognized and celebrated by audiences all over. These days Johnson has expanded her empire beyond just music, and has added talk show host, author, and actress to her resume. Luckily, she agreed to take some time out of her busy schedule to tell us a bit about this generation of music, what empowerment means to her, and what we can expect to see from her in the not so distant future.

It’s no secret that Johnson takes inspiration from the soulful sounds and mesmerizing melodies of artists from the 1950’s and 60’s, so much so that her Rebirth of Soul album pays homage to the great artists of that era. “Soul is not a genre, soul is not a sound of music” says Johnson.

“Soul is what you’ve been through, so we did was chose artists who sang from what they’ve been through” When it comes to how the culture of music is evolving today, Johnson thinks that “people are missing the concept that we have to evolve, we may not always be happy about what we’reevolving into and we may not understand what that evolution is but it is indeed an evolution.” It can be easy to harbor nostalgic feelings for the days of old, Johnson sympathizes, saying that “as we get older we stay very attached to what was our generation, and what was our disposition as an artist bust artistry has evolved and it looks like this now” This R&B diva isn’t completely convinced however, when It comes to the new wave of “strip club” music.

“The messaging in the music has really taken a turn left. When we were younger music meant something. Today’s music lacks intelligence, depth, and inspiration lyrically” Needless to say, Johnson is not afraid to give her take on what’s happening in the culture, which comes in handy in her somewhat new role as a talk show co-host. Reflecting on her first year with The Sister Circle, Johnson felt that it was “a big learning experience, very enlightening” and the show gives her an opportunity and a platform to “help others, heal others, as well as educate and inform others”Empowerment plays a key role not only in the mission statement of The Sister Circle, but is something very close to Johnson’s heart personally. She believes that “everyone should set out to empower and if we were in a position where it was our intention to empower [this world] would be a better place”

It’s easy for anyone to see that Syleena Johnson is an artist with intention, awareness, and a connection to the culture. As far as what’s next for her, she has a book coming out called The Weight Is Over which shares her journey toward self-love and becoming comfortable in her own skin. She also recently shot a movie with Ice-T and Jermel Howard called Equal Standard, and has a brand new album in the works. However, unlike her previous albums where she’s always had a title, theme and everything mapped out this time around she “just went in there and started working”. We certainly can’t wait to see what lies ahead for this seasoned superstar, and look forward to everything that she undoubtedly has in store.

]]>CHRISTOPHER “BRANDMAKER” THOMAShttp://iamempower.com/christopher-brandmaker-thomas/
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 23:39:12 +0000http://iamempower.com/?p=70269Christopher “Brandmaker” Thomas By: Autumnn Douglas Christopher “BrandMaker” Thomas is a self described entrepreneur, philanthropist, and family man. His commitment to cultivating an “entrepreneurial spirit” started early in life, growing up as a third generation business owner. Like most successful people he started small, mowing lawns and cutting hair from the age of 14, but it was during this time that he developed the invaluable skills that would lead to a very promising career. These days Thomas is the CEO and founder of inMMGroup Marketing Agency and publisher of iinCity Magazine. Along with his thriving business ventures Thomas is committed to creating change in his community, and is a staunch advocate for anti-bullying efforts. The renaissance entrepreneur agreed to talk with us a little about setting goals, balancing work and family life, and what it truly means to be a “solo-preneur” Empower: How would you define the “entrepreneur mentality”? Christopher Thomas: An entrepreneur mentality can vary from person to person. But two very important things that should be a part of every entrepreneur’s mindset is 1-How to be more valuable to the industry or customer with more Vision, Resourcefulness, Adaptable and 2-What problem do I have a solution for. For... Read more »

Christopher “BrandMaker” Thomas is a self described entrepreneur, philanthropist, and family man. His commitment to cultivating an “entrepreneurial spirit” started early in life, growing up as a third generation business owner. Like most successful people he started small, mowing lawns and cutting hair from the age of 14, but it was during this time that he developed the invaluable skills that would lead to a very promising career. These days Thomas is the CEO and founder of inMMGroup Marketing Agency and publisher of iinCity Magazine. Along with his thriving business ventures Thomas is committed to creating change in his community, and is a staunch advocate for anti-bullying efforts. The renaissance entrepreneur agreed to talk with us a little about setting goals, balancing work and family life, and what it truly means to be a “solo-preneur”

Empower: How would you define the “entrepreneur mentality”?

Christopher Thomas: An entrepreneur mentality can vary from person to person. But two very important things that should be a part of every entrepreneur’s mindset is 1-How to be more valuable to the industry or customer with more Vision, Resourcefulness, Adaptable and 2-What problem do I have a solution for. For most people, problems equal stress, fatigue and nervousness, whereas entrepreneurs are excited about the opportunity to problem solve.

Empower: How did your upbringing contribute to your entrepreneurial spirit?

Christopher Thomas: What I do appreciate appreciate about my upbringing, is that I was surrounded by entrepreneurs, hard working – give it all you got people and instilled in me to have good character. As far as I know, I am a third generation entrepreneur. I saw first hand the good and not so good. We did have much growing up, so I had to figure out how do get many of the things I wanted. That’s where I had to learn how to solve a problem. I got good at it. To date, I have many of my associates call me the ‘Problem Solver’.

Empower: How has bullying impacted you in your own life?

Christopher Thomas: Bullying had a major impact into my life. Thankfully, I was able to turn my ‘Mess into My Message’. I didn’t love or trust myself. Didn’t have much self esteem. At one point, I was accepting those thoughts into my life and it was affecting me in almost all of my life: personal, professionally and spiritually.

It wasn’t until I was ‘sick and tired of being sick and tired’ did I pray, identify and got to the root of the challenges. Then I was able to change my mindset, thoughts, attitude and learn to forgive. That’s when things started to shift.

Empower: What accomplishment in your career as a marketing professional are you most proud of?

Christopher Thomas: In my professional marketing career, I have the privilege to create relationships with people of influence and resources. To use those relationships to help others if what I am most proud of.

Empower: How do you balance being a family man with your busy schedule as a professional?

Christopher Thomas: Balancing my family life and businesses is an area that takes consistent work. What has proven success for me is staying mindful of my wife and children. I have even found myself making excesses that, ‘It’s my responsibility to provide for my family’ … Yes it is … but PROVIDING is more than financially. Allowing some flexibility in my schedule has also proven to be helpful. If that means getting up earlier or staying up later, starting earlier on a project (early in the day, week, month or year) to insure that I can spend that time with my family.

Empower: What inspired you to create an entrepreneurial coaching and lifestyle program?

Christopher Thomas: There are many entrepreneurs who are doing everything Solo. I call that the ‘solo-preneur’. We find ourselves doing a little of everything in the business. Spinning our wheels without accomplishing much or making progress. Most times this will affect our mindset. Other times, it’s our mindset that is holding us back. This coaching and lifestyle program helps.

Empower: What are some of your top tips for solo entrepreneurs?

Christopher Thomas: There is ONLY one Tip: “For LIFE to work, we have to be doing the RIGHT thing.” This one thing works with EVERY facet in Life: Personal, Professional, Social, Health, Wealth and Spiritual.

Empower: How important is goal setting when it comes to starting a business?

Christopher Thomas: Setting goals when starting a business is very important. It helps give direction and provide great service. Goal setting is the process of deciding what we want to accomplish and devising a plan to achieve the result we desire.

Empower: And finally, what are some of your goals for 2019?

Christopher Thomas: My goals for 2019 is to give ALL I Got, In EVERYTHING I Do!

For more on Christopher Thomas you can follow him @itsCThomas on Instagram and Twitter.

]]>Aretha Franklin’s Funeral Is Fit For A Queenhttp://iamempower.com/aretha-franklins-funeral-fit-queen/
Sat, 01 Sep 2018 02:45:59 +0000http://iamempower.com/?p=70261Family, friends and the many admirers of Aretha Franklin packed Detroit’s Greater Grace Temple on Friday to celebrate the life, legacy and music of the “Queen of Soul.” It was a service fit for the Queen, who died earlier this month at the age of 76 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The funeral was full of mourning and laughter, of rousing gospel music and soulful hymns befitting of the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, who won 18 Grammys and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, among many other honors. Singers like Ariana Grande, Faith Hill, the Clark Sisters, Chaka Khan, Fantasia Barrino-Taylor, Jennifer Hudson and Stevie Wonder rallied funeralgoers and brought them to their feet to dance and sing with Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “I’m Going Up Yonder,” “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” and “Amazing Grace,” to name a few. Stevie Wonder gave the last performance before Franklin’s family exited the church. Whipping out his harmonica, Wonder played a musical rendition of the “Lord’s Prayer.” “Were it not for God’s goodness, God’s greatness, we would’ve never known the queen of soul,” Wonder said after finishing with the harmonica. He... Read more »

Family, friends and the many admirers of Aretha Franklin packed Detroit’s Greater Grace Temple on Friday to celebrate the life, legacy and music of the “Queen of Soul.”

It was a service fit for the Queen, who died earlier this month at the age of 76 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

The funeral was full of mourning and laughter, of rousing gospel music and soulful hymns befitting of the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, who won 18 Grammys and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, among many other honors.

Singers like Ariana Grande, Faith Hill, the Clark Sisters, Chaka Khan, Fantasia Barrino-Taylor, Jennifer Hudson and Stevie Wonder rallied funeralgoers and brought them to their feet to dance and sing with Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “I’m Going Up Yonder,” “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” and “Amazing Grace,” to name a few.

Stevie Wonder gave the last performance before Franklin’s family exited the church. Whipping out his harmonica, Wonder played a musical rendition of the “Lord’s Prayer.”

“Were it not for God’s goodness, God’s greatness, we would’ve never known the queen of soul,” Wonder said after finishing with the harmonica. He ended with his 1976 song “As,” which brought people to their feet.

Spoken tributes and remembrances from religious and political leaders underlined the influence of a woman who stood on the front lines of the civil rights movement, with her music as a frequent anthem.

Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson and former US Attorney General Eric Holder were among those who came to pay their respects and offer kind words and remembrances.

Former President Bill Clinton fondly recalled the last time he saw Franklin, when she greeted him with, “How you doing, baby?”

It was a star-studded occasion, but it wasn’t about who was or wasn’t famous. Her former neighbor, Ron Moten, told the story of the time his friend Aretha gave a concert at his mother’s assisted living facility on her 90th birthday.

And fans around the world collectively followed the funeral for more than six hours, using the hashtag #ArethaHomegoing.

All those gathered had come to say their last goodbyes to a woman and an artist who profoundly impacted each of them, the city of Detroit and the world. “She gave us pride,” Sharpton said during his remembrance. “And she gave us a regal bar to reach, and that’s why we’re all here.

“We don’t all agree on everything,” he said. “But we agree on Aretha.”

Presidents pay homage to the ‘Queen of Soul’

“In the example she set both as an artist and a citizen, Aretha embodied those most revered virtues of forgiveness and reconciliation,” Obama wrote.

“While the music she made captured some of our deepest human desires, namely affection and respect, and through her voice, her own voice, Aretha lifted those of millions, empowering and inspiring the vulnerable, the downtrodden, and everyone who may have just needed a little love.”

Clinton brought a smile to attendees’ faces with a touching and humorous tribute, recognizing both Franklin’s grace and strength, and professing his admiration for the singer and her resolve.

Ex-President Bill Clinton professes his admiration for Franklin at Friday’s service in Detroit.

“This woman got us all here in these seats today, not because she had this breathtaking talent, which she did … but because she lived with courage, not without fear, but overcoming her fears.

“She lived with faith,” he continued, “not without failure but overcoming her failures. She lived with power, not without weakness, but overcoming her weaknesses.”

A letter from President George W. Bush was also read, in which he called Franklin a “woman of achievement with a deep character and loving heart.”

A few speakers took jabs at President Donald Trump throughout the day. Sharpton criticized the President for saying after Franklin’s death that she had “worked for me on numerous occasions.”

“No,” Sharpton said, “she used to perform for you. She worked for us.”

And Michael Eric Dyson, a Georgetown professor who spoke at the funeral, slammed Trump for the same remark.

‘It’s just my grandma’

Mourners began filling the church early Friday, while Franklin’s fans and dozens of pink Cadillac owners lined up outside, a tribute to the singer’s 1985 hit “Freeway of Love” in which she sang, “We goin’ ridin’ on the freeway of love in my pink Cadillac.”

Franklin’s open casket was placed at the front of the church as mourners streamed by in advance of the service. As they passed, they saw the singer’s body dressed all in gold, with a long sequin gown and high heels to match her gleaming gold casket.

Pink Cadillacs line up outside Greater Grace Temple, the site of Franklin’s funeral Friday.

Projected on the walls were the words “A Celebration Fit for the Queen.”

The choir greeted attendees who took their seats in the pews as the processional began, and before long many were on their feet, singing and clapping along. The casket was closed at the end of the lengthy processional after the singer’s family and friends had said goodbye, and as the choir sang, “Jesus, the Light of the World.”

“Walk in the light,” the singers proclaimed as the casket lid was lowered, “the beautiful light. Come where the dewdrops of mercy shine bright.”

Early in the service, Bishop Charles H. Ellis III, who was officiating, asked the congregation to stand and applaud Franklin’s family.

Jordan Franklin pauses alongside his sister Victorie Franklin while speaking about their grandmother.

“This family has shared their mother, their grandmother, their aunt, their cousin with the entire world,” Ellis said. “Let us all stand and thank them for sharing her with us.”

Among the family was Franklin’s granddaughter Victorie Franklin, who recalled the woman behind the legendary performer.

“I remember when I was a kid people used to always ask me, ‘What does it feel like to be Aretha Franklin’s granddaughter?'” she said. “I would always shrug my shoulders and go, ‘I don’t know. It’s just my grandma.'”

“Nothing sounded better to me than the way my grandma sings,” she added. “Her voice made you feel something. You felt every word, every note, every emotion in the songs she sang. Her voice brought peace.”

Singer Chaka Khan performs at the funeral for Aretha Franklin.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan took to the pulpit and said he wanted to rename the city’s Chene Park after Franklin, and that he was sending a proposal to the City Council to do so.

“Our beautiful waterfront jewel will be Aretha Franklin Park,” he said, “and when performers from generations to come from around the world come here, they will be reminded they are performing at the home of the ‘Queen of Soul.”

‘She kept right on singing’

When Rev. Jesse Jackson finally stood up to speak, nearly two hours later than originally scheduled, he highlighted Franklin’s impact on the civil rights movement, and how it affected her in turn.

Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks at the funeral for Aretha Franklin.

“She had money and could not buy ice cream, had a car and could not stop to buy gasoline,” Jackson said. “Aretha came out of the bowels of our struggle.”

Jackson recalled how Franklin and Harry Belafonte went on tour to help raise funds for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the movement. While she was on stage in Houston, Jackson said, tear gas was pumped into the room, forcing the evacuation of the building. “She kept right on singing,” he said.

Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. said that Franklin once clashed with her father because he objected to her helping activist Angela Davis get out of jail. “She said, ‘Daddy, she is a black woman who had nobody to help her. Period,” Williams recalled.

Service honored Franklin’s roots

Franklin’s niece, Sabrina Owens, told CNN the funeral service was designed to recognize Franklin’s gospel roots and her love of the church.

“We knew we wanted to have certain gospel artists like the Williams Brothers and Pastor Shirley Caesar,” Owens said. “And there were other people who called us wanting to participate.”

Her family wanted to keep the funeral service private to those closest to Franklin — though it was being streamed and portions broadcast by major networks — but worked to provide the singer’s fans an opportunity to say goodbye this week, Owens said.

The remains of the legendary singer arrive Friday for her funeral at Detroit’s Greater Grace Temple.

Viewings earlier this week at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History and at Franklin’s childhood parish, New Bethel Baptist Church, as well as an all-star tribute concert Thursday night, were all planned with the public in mind.

Isiah Thomas, the former Detroit Pistons player and a friend of Franklin’s, told CNN he could hardly believe it was time to say goodbye.

“Even though you knew over the last couple of months that she was sick and you knew this day was coming and you thought you would be prepared for it — but now that it’s here it really is overwhelming,” he said.

Shirley Caesar, the famous gospel singer and another friend of Franklin’s, agreed.

“I’ve been wishing and hoping that I will wake up and that this is just a dream,” she said.

]]>http://iamempower.com/70257-2/
Sat, 01 Sep 2018 01:48:23 +0000http://iamempower.com/?p=70257I recently caught up with Charity Lynette of Curvy Chick Fitness. Miss Lynette was inspired to engage in a healthy lifestyle after the untimely death of her mother. Since then, she has committed herself to teaching fellow plus size women on how they can stay in shape. In this interview, we chatted about long-term goals, the new wave of body positive across social media and how she performs her daily workout regimen. Empower: What are your long-term goals for Curvy Chick Fitness? Charity Lynette: Well really, I would like to create a boutique-like space for women to feel comfortable exercising in. Many women may feel uncomfortable around skinnier chicks, so I would love to create a safe space for that group of women. Empower: What is your daily workout regimen like? Lynette: I like to always start my day off with water or tea. As for working out, it really depends on my schedule on what kind of workout I do. I don’t always have the the time to go to the gym, but I ride my bike everywhere so that I’m putting in 20 mi every day. Empower: How do you think more women can educate themselves on nutrition? Lynette: Well obviously, if you have obligations like family, you won’t have enough time to do research on top of research. But there’s other ways you can get info such as say, Instagram, or asking a friend who is currently going through a weight loss program. Empower: How do you feel about this new wave of body positivity? Lynette: On the one hand, it’s amazing. I mean, it’s great to see more plus size women on TV, to see more of these women being celebrated. But if you’re like a size 24, that’s not good, you know? So, if you want to be happy in the shape that you’re in, then go for it. But if you know you’re not at a healthy weight, then that’s not something you should celebrate. Empower: What is your advice to women who have a hard time committing to a consistent workout regimen? Lynette: It’s best to start off with small steps instead of trying to overwhelm yourself by hitting the gym 4 days a week for 30 mins. It could be as simple as taking the stairs at work or walking a few blocks from work from the bus stop. I also suggest experimenting with classes to see what you like. Something has to stick. As for food, just going on your phone and surveying the ingredients helps a lot. That way, you can calculate calories. For more on Charity Lynette www.curvychicfitness.com

]]>I recently caught up with Charity Lynette of Curvy Chick Fitness. Miss Lynette was inspired to engage in a healthy lifestyle after the untimely death of her mother. Since then, she has committed herself to teaching fellow plus size women on how they can stay in shape. In this interview, we chatted about long-term goals, the new wave of body positive across social media and how she performs her daily workout regimen.

Empower: What are your long-term goals for Curvy Chick Fitness?

Charity Lynette: Well really, I would like to create a boutique-like space for women to feel comfortable exercising in. Many women may feel uncomfortable around skinnier chicks, so I would love to create a safe space for that group of women.

Empower: What is your daily workout regimen like?

Lynette: I like to always start my day off with water or tea. As for working out, it really depends on my schedule on what kind of workout I do. I don’t always have the the time to go to the gym, but I ride my bike everywhere so that I’m putting in 20 mi every day.

Empower: How do you think more women can educate themselves on nutrition?

Lynette: Well obviously, if you have obligations like family, you won’t have enough time to do research on top of research. But there’s other ways you can get info such as say, Instagram, or asking a friend who is currently going through a weight loss program.

Empower: How do you feel about this new wave of body positivity?

Lynette: On the one hand, it’s amazing. I mean, it’s great to see more plus size women on TV, to see more of these women being celebrated. But if you’re like a size 24, that’s not good, you know? So, if you want to be happy in the shape that you’re in, then go for it. But if you know you’re not at a healthy weight, then that’s not something you should celebrate.

Empower: What is your advice to women who have a hard time committing to a consistent workout regimen?

Lynette: It’s best to start off with small steps instead of trying to overwhelm yourself by hitting the gym 4 days a week for 30 mins. It could be as simple as taking the stairs at work or walking a few blocks from work from the bus stop. I also suggest experimenting with classes to see what you like. Something has to stick. As for food, just going on your phone and surveying the ingredients helps a lot. That way, you can calculate calories.

]]>Erika Alexander Keeps It Colorfulhttp://iamempower.com/erika-alexander-keeps-colorful/
Sat, 01 Sep 2018 01:36:33 +0000http://iamempower.com/?p=70248 One of the most destructive explanations one may ever hear is “because that’s just how we do things”. We define Creativity Empowerment as the “Ability to see more options”. This is important for a number of reasons. By allowing ourselves to see more options, we are actually seeing more of ourselves. As our personal bandwidth increases, those around us can sense the power of our presence to increase, as well as the overall scope of our lives. In this way, Creativity Empowerment is true healing. We are healing from the concept that we are ‘small’ or ‘incapable’. We are healing from the idea that we must do things the old way, and that the pioneers have already come and gone. As we see more options in our lives, we realize all the ways in which our beliefs have been causing us to sabotage ourselves. In this new age, we are able to empower each other toward a healthier sense of self, and the greatly expanded options that come with it. Erika Alexander truly exhibits this type of empowerment. Alexander has partnered with former Google exec and block-chain tech entrepreneur Ben Arnon. Together they’ve created Color Farm, a multi-platform content... Read more »

One of the most destructive explanations one may ever hear is “because that’s just how we do things”.

We define Creativity Empowerment as the “Ability to see more options”. This is important for a number of reasons. By allowing ourselves to see more options, we are actually seeing more of ourselves. As our personal bandwidth increases, those around us can sense the power of our presence to increase, as well as the overall scope of our lives.

In this way, Creativity Empowerment is true healing. We are healing from the concept that we are ‘small’ or ‘incapable’. We are healing from the idea that we must do things the old way, and that the pioneers have already come and gone.

As we see more options in our lives, we realize all the ways in which our beliefs have been causing us to sabotage ourselves. In this new age, we are able to empower each other toward a healthier sense of self, and the greatly expanded options that come with it.

Erika Alexander truly exhibits this type of empowerment. Alexander has partnered with former Google exec and block-chain tech entrepreneur Ben Arnon. Together they’ve created Color Farm, a multi-platform content company. The company aims to feature a lineup of film, television and digital projects from diverse creators.

The company’s inaugural slate includes an untitled horror/thriller film, written by Alexander for Lionsgate Entertainment. Color Farm has also teamed with producers Jamie Patricoff (Half Nelson, The Zookeeper’s Wife) as well as Paul and Tammy Garnes (Selma, Queen Sugar) to develop a feature about the famed Boys Choir of Harlem, which Alexander is penning.

Best known for her co-starring role in the ‘90s Fox sitcom Living Single and who was also seen in the Academy Award-nominated film GET OUT, Alexander also collaborated with Joss Whedon and Dark Horse to co-write “Buffy” spin-off graphic novel series.

“I’m mostly a creator and an actress but he knew about being an entrepreneur, he had gone to business school at UCLA and he knew how to be aggressive. Putting together his hustle with my flow, we had something!” – Erika Alexander

Alexander has continued to delve into her creativity and commitment to making sure people of color are represented in a variety of spaces from graphic novels to the big screen. Alexander has always felt there weren’t enough roles for women of color in the entertainment industry since the beginning of her career. Additionally, she felt writing was the quickest way to do something about it, even if it didn’t come naturally:

“Of course, it took me longer to learn the craft and get the momentum to have the discipline for it. In the meantime, my life kept going and my career kept going.”

Opportunity came knocking for her vision when she bumped into businessman, Ben Arnon during the 2008 presidential campaign:

“We met during the 2008 campaign. He was an Obama delegate and I was a Hillary delegate. I was telling him about all these scripts I had written over the years and he asked me what I was doing with them.”

Alexander says Arnon helped her put a value to her writing and become familiar with the business side of things.

“He really put his business acumen on it and then we were on our way.”

The production company hopes to provide opportunities to tell stories of diversity and inclusion to an audience that reflects those qualities. Color Farm Media also invites storytellers from all different types of platforms:

“Color Farm is changing the face of media but the face of media had to change in order to acknowledge or support companies like Color Farm.”

“Over these past few years, studios have been very interested in new voices. Their whole business model changed in Hollywood. They saw that they had been wrong all this time. Not only do black people sell, they were essential.”

“At Color Farm, the whole idea is not just to say the word ‘diverse.’ Diversity means many different voices and perspectives. Black, white, Latino, Asian are a given. But you also have the elderly, the disabled. I’m from Arizona and grew up in a Lutheran Church. We’re looking for those types of people who may not fit in those stereotypical ways.”

“We’re looking for things like podcasts, plays, graphic novels. These all have low barriers to entry. If it’s right, we can build that audience organically and connect it to the audience that would normally be attracted to it, or find an audience for it.”

More recently, Alexander and Arnon have partnered with Emily Best, CEO and Founder of Seed and Spark.

NOTE FROM COLOR FARM FOUNDERS:

Hollywood has finally noticed that minorities are the New Majority and we are here to stay. At Color Farm we bridge the gap to new voices and talent, who have traditionally been outsiders with no access or financing. We want Color Farm Media to be a place where colorful creators can win and be profitable on multiple platforms.

Color Farm is the New Majority power center, like Motown or Def Jam, but for the moving image.

Creativity is empowerment. We aim to provide the skills, tools, and access necessary for underrepresented creators to fully maximize their potential.

]]>Empower At A Glance Highlights Model Toscha Fordhttp://iamempower.com/empower-glance-highlights-model-toscha-ford/
Sat, 01 Sep 2018 01:12:46 +0000http://iamempower.com/?p=70243My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style” -Maya Angelou My Superpower: Fire …I have the ability to inspire others and I an resourceful. My fire is kinetic, fast, resilient, hard to contain and can take many forms. My greatest influence in my life, is my mother, Gloria Ann Allen. She has shown me how to do what is right even when it is unpopular and does not benefit me. She has taken over as a female leader in my family after the passing of my God-fearing, grandmother, Magnolia Cobb in 2017. My mother is successful in all aspects of her life from her marriage to the obtainment of higher education as an Art major. Most of all she inspires me to keep God first, stay true to myself and to not allow anyone to steal my joy”. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/toscha.ford Twitter Check out ModelTrendSetter Join me on Instagram! I’m on Instagram as @toscha_ford_. SnapChat https://www.snapchat.com/add/nczeta1920 Webpage https://fb.me/modeltrendsetter

]]>My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style” -Maya Angelou

My Superpower:

Fire …I have the ability to inspire others and I an resourceful. My fire is kinetic, fast, resilient, hard to contain and can take many forms.

My greatest influence in my life, is my mother, Gloria Ann Allen. She has shown me how to do what is right even when it is unpopular and does not benefit me. She has taken over as a female leader in my family after the passing of my God-fearing, grandmother, Magnolia Cobb in 2017. My mother is successful in all aspects of her life from her marriage to the obtainment of higher education as an Art major. Most of all she inspires me to keep God first, stay true to myself and to not allow anyone to steal my joy”.

]]>Adria D. Hookes is The Business Bae: Business Inspiration At Its Besthttp://iamempower.com/adria-d-hookes-business-bae-business-inspiration-best/
Sat, 01 Sep 2018 00:59:08 +0000http://iamempower.com/?p=70237Adria D. Hookes, is a global powerhouse and highly sought-after Business Coach & Social Media Strategist. Her gift to inspire myriads of women to break out of the box, to pursue their purpose, and to fulfill their greatest entrepreneurial potential, has positioned as one who is dubbed the Business Bae™—a marketplace influence, certainly a leader among women. Recognized for her business leadership and success, Adria was the recipient of the 2015 Global Award Winner of the SheRo Award, the 2016 Unstoppable Woman “Female Entrepreneur of the Year” Award Nominee, 2017 Woman Who Soar Award Honoree and 2018 Exceptional Women Award. Besides her role as a business consultant and program developer, she has been actively engaged in the community. She was 1st Vice Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Metro Atlanta Chapter. As well, she was involved in establishing the fastest growing chapter in the history of the National Congress of Black Women (NCBW), forging relationships with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Rock the Vote, and the National Kidney Foundation. With a vast background in business and technology, Adria has taken her skill sets to develop a personal niche that allows her to help organize, educate, and empower individuals in... Read more »

]]>Adria D. Hookes, is a global powerhouse and highly sought-after Business Coach & Social Media Strategist. Her gift to inspire myriads of women to break out of the box, to pursue their purpose, and to fulfill their greatest entrepreneurial potential, has positioned as one who is dubbed the Business Bae—a marketplace influence, certainly a leader among women.

Recognized for her business leadership and success, Adria was the recipient of the 2015 Global Award Winner of the SheRo Award, the 2016 Unstoppable Woman “Female Entrepreneur of the Year” Award Nominee, 2017 Woman Who Soar Award Honoree and 2018 Exceptional Women Award.

Besides her role as a business consultant and program developer, she has been actively engaged in the community. She was 1st Vice Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Metro Atlanta Chapter. As well, she was involved in establishing the fastest growing chapter in the history of the National Congress of Black Women (NCBW), forging relationships with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Rock the Vote, and the National Kidney Foundation.

With a vast background in business and technology, Adria has taken her skill sets to develop a personal niche that allows her to help organize, educate, and empower individuals in their respective fields. She maintains an expansive portfolio of businesses, including Founder and CEO of the Powerful Women in Business Association, LLC (PWIB), The Business Bae Services, Powerful Men In Business and Powerful Men In Style.

More than anything, Adria wants to ‘give back.’ While some view giving back as an option often not chosen, for Adria, this is a part of her life purpose. Her passion to serve others, her resilience from a harsh and troubled past, and her faith are evident in her work as a Business and Social Media Brand Strategist for female entrepreneurs. Her dedication to helping women relates to a desire for sharing her personal experiences of failure and hard knocks toward creating paths that will ultimately save countless young women from pitfalls in their business, as well as their social and personal lives.

EMPOWER: Why are you the Business Bae?

ADRIA: I am the Business Bae because I am dedicated to having committed coaching relationships with my clients. My coaching relationships are not short term – they are long term. Just like you have a long term relationship with your boyfriend, husband or your bae. I am your business bae, boo, bestie, accountability partner. My job is to help you stay and fall in love with your business.

EMPOWER: When do you feel like your true self?

ADRIA: I am my true self when I am by myself. Where there’s no phone, no tv, no internet, no one around me just pure quietness. It’s just me sitting being silent and still. Most of the time I am hustling, and bustling working really hard every single day trying to balance life as a wife and a mother, I never get the opportunity to sit still. But when I do sit still, that’s when I am able to tap into my true self. When I get into meditation, I get into me, listening to myself and thoughts and in that I am analyzing my visions I see for myself.

EMPOWER: Why did you choose Business and Tech?

ADRIA: I’ve been a techie since I was 10 years old. I have been building websites. I’ve always loved computers, taking them apart, fixing them so tech has always been apart of my life.

Technology will always be around just like the healthcare field and it’s also important for women and young girls to invest in more into technology as well. Such as Computer science, coding, cyber security, the percentage is low for us in this industry especially for African American women so it’s ground breaking for me.

For business I come from a family of entrepreneurs so I already have that entrepreneurial spirit and I just love business. I never wanted to work for anyone else. I’ve always wanted to work for myself so I believe business is mandatory for life survival.

EMPOWER: What new ventures are you working on?

ADRIA: I am currently working on outlining my co-working space for all women here in Atlanta. I hope to get that up and going by the end of 2019. My new podcast called The Power of New Mindset Collective Launching August 6th.

I have a new group coaching program called “The Power of New Mindset Collective Group Coaching”, where it helps women get all of the resources, tools, and coaching they need to live successful entrepreneurial lives. Along with that I am finishing my manuscript for my book so I am excited about getting that done. Those are my main focuses right now.

“My superpower is being a visionary. I have always been a visionary. I visualize a lot of things for my clients and for myself. My visions are so clear that I am able to create solid goals and steps to make sure the vision I see will manifest. A lot of the businesses and opportunities and things that I created for myself are all because I seen myself do it before it actually happened.”

EMPOWER: Your favorite inspirational movie and why?

ADRIA: Not a movie but a series called Girl Boss I love that series on Netflix when they had the first series. The reason why it was so inspirational is because I really got an opportunity to see Sofia start from nothing being this rebel having a hard time finding a job. She then comes up with an idea and starts one step at a time and watch it work and keep going and then millions of dollars and buyers!

So that story was so inspirational because it was similar to where I was at, my personality, and starting from nothing and coming up with an idea, pushing forward, never giving up and fighting through it. I love the series of Girl Boss.

Stay connected with The Business Bae on Instagram @thebusinessbae and on Facebook at The Business Bae.

]]>A SHOCKING SECRET REVEALED ON THE SEASON PREMIERE OF “STAR”http://iamempower.com/shocking-secret-revealed-season-premiere-star/
Sat, 01 Sep 2018 00:24:18 +0000http://iamempower.com/?p=70227BUCKLE UP! A SHOCKING SECRET REVEALED ON THE SEASON PREMIERE OF “STAR” A new “STAR” is on the rise, but who’s the Daddy? WATCH/SHARE THE NEW PROMO FOR “STAR” https://youtu.be/sSwptDW-QS0 Season Three of STAR Premieres Wednesday, Sept. 26 @ 9/8c on FOX Official STAR Social Information: Facebook: STARonFOX/ Twitter: @STAR Instagram: @STARonFOX Website: Fox.com/star Join the Conversation: #STAR